Charles e



LETTER BOX.

No. 528,897. Patented'lov. 6 1894.

VYN: woning Mormrmn.. WASHINGTON D c UNrrnD STATES CHARLES E. ABBOTT, OFBOSTON, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO SOLON BANOROFT, OF READING,MASSAOHUSETTS.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 528,897, dated November6, 1894.

Application led February 16, 1891. Serial No. 381,669. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known, that I, CHARLES E. ABBOTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter Boxes; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure lis a perspective view of myinvention in one of the new style letter boxes. Fig. .2 shows it appliedto a newspaper or parcel mail box. Fig. 3 shows it as applied to the oldstyle of letter box. Figs. 4. and are details showing modification ofmeans for raising the lid.

This invention is designed to afford means for easily opening the lidscovering the deposit apertures in mail boxes attached to lamp posts, orotherwise, and used for the reception of mail matter to be gathered bythe mail carrier.

It has been found so difficult for a person having a cane, umbrella,parasol or parcel in one hand, or for a one-armed person to lift or movethe lid covering the usual slot which forms the opening into suchmailboxes to deposit letters, or other mail matter, thatI have devisedthe means, substantially as hereinafter described to move the lidcovering the opening into the mail box by means of the foot.

I haveillustrated generally in the accompanying drawings how thisinvention may be practically put into effect.

In the drawings is shown the mail box at A, and a is the lid that coversthe usual slot opening into it through which the mail matter isdeposited into the box. This lid is pivoted or hinged in any desired wayto the box. In the present illustration this is done by means of thejournals a3 one at each end which pass through ears a4, on the box. Tothis lid in any convenientway and manner is attached a wire or cord B,which extends down to the treadle or` foot piece C. This treadle is sonear the floor or ground that it can be easily reached by the foot. Ingeneral the way in which I designlto make this connection isby attachingthe wire or other connection to the projection or knob a on the lid,andthence extending it straight down to the treadle C, as in Fig. l.This projection is preferably integral with the lid, and located at anydesired point along its front edge so as to project outwardly. In thisinstance the wire or connection had best pass through agnide or staplea2 on the box, lamp post or wall, or other place, to which the mail boxis attached, direct to the treadle. The downward pressure of the foot onthe treadle at once causes the lid a t0 be opened, and on removal of thepressure on this treadle the lid automatically returns tol place, orthis action can be aided by making the hinge c at the treadle of coiledspring wire.

In Fig. 2 which is a parcel or newspaper mail box, the connection maybea small rope, chain passing over a staple or pulley d on the lamp postD and thence to the treadle C, under the box; its front end extendingoutI beyond the face of the box and easy to be reached by the foot.

In Fig. 3 the projection a on the lid is preferably put at one side andthe connection B is let inside the box through a hole so made under thecornice of the box that no Water or moisture will get into the box.Thence close to the wall inside of the box the connection passes out ofthe bottom of it and extends down to the treadle C. The hinge c of thistreadle may also, as above stated, be a coiledspring, that willautomatically return the treadle to place and thus allow the easy returnof the lidfto its normalposition.

In carrying out my invention I may use a wire alone for connectionbetween the-lid and treadle, or a combined wire and chain, or wire andlinks, or a chain alone, or any like or equivalent means; and I proposeto pass said connection through any suitable guides, or

over pulleys or other equivalent means by IOO them and cause them to actupon and lift the cover or lid of the box, is the treadle and connectionas above described. Now when in the use of this invention a personhaving a parcel, cane or anything in one hand, or a onearmed person,approaches the `mail box and has letters or mail matter in the other todeposit in said box it is only necessary to place his foot on thetreadle C, and this being depressed throws the lid a away from theopening into the box, and the mail matter being deposited and the footremoved from the treadle the cover substantially returns to its place.

I am aware that it is not new to hinge a cover at one edge of the top ofa box, which cover is adapted to be raised by means of a treadleconnected by a Wire to the upper side `and near the center of the cover7and which cover will fail by its gravity when the treadle zo isreleased, and such a structure and invention I do not therefore claim.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is- In combination withthe mail box, as described,'and its hinged cover a over the mail

